"Join the movement"by Chris Lim

I am often asked, “How is the Contra Costa Resource Conservation District (CCRCD) funded?” This is actually one of my favorite questions that people ask me. While answering the question is relatively straightforward, I like to use it as an opportunity to paint a fuller story of the CCRCD. I will do the same here to provide some important context.

The CCRCD is one of nearly one hundred other RCDs throughout the state. We work to increase the health and resiliency of our watersheds by partnering with farmers, ranchers, government agencies, creek/watershed groups, schools, and nonprofit organizations. The CCRCD is a non-regulatory special district of the state. So, the CCRCD is not a full-fledged government agency, and it is not a 501(c)(3) organization. Though there are pros and cons of this arrangement, the CCRCD inhabits the space in-between. “Okay,” you might say, “but that still doesn’t explain how the CCRCD is funded.”

​The CCRCD is fortunate to operate in a county that provides us a small portion of the parcel tax. However, that accounts for a little less than one-third of our overall budget. While this helps cover the cost of our administrative staff and general operating costs, it does not account for any program staff to develop and implement impactful environmental programming for our local communities. Our program staff is responsible for a range of activities including removing trash and invasive plants from creeks, constructing stock ponds for cattle and habitat for endangered species, and developing carbon farm plans for Contra Costa County farms.

​Like our 501(c)(3) partners, we have to fundraise the rest of our budget. We try to diversify our revenue stream by raising funds from the following sources: competitive grant funding, service contracts, foundations, corporations, and individual donors. I acknowledge that most of the folks reading this E-newsletter are individuals who could potentially fall in the “individual donors” category. With this in mind, we would like to invite everyone to be part of our “Winter Giving Campaign,” which starts on Giving Tuesday, November 27th. Giving Tuesday is a day for people to support the work of organizations that add value to their communities. If you would like more information about #GivingTuesday, please click here. Last year, Giving Tuesday raised a record $274 million in total from more than 2.5 million contributions—an increase of $97 million from the previous year.Will you be a part of this year’s Winter Giving Campaign? Keep an eye out for upcoming emails about how you can support the CCRCD.​Be a part of something.